COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE OF DEMENTIA

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After 10 years as a PI in research on cognitive impairments following stroke, and some recent preliminary work on cognition in AIzheimer's disease (AD), l have decided to turn my attention more fully towards the dementias. Although cognitive neuroscience has generally concentrated on focal brain damage, I believe that AD and other dementias, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and semantic dementia, have much to teach us about the functioning of the normal mind and its neural substrates, particularly with respect to semantic memory and visual cognition, my two areas of specialization. In addition, the dementias represent a major public health problem, and the cognitive neuroscience approach may be able to contribute towards solutions to this problem. I am therefore requesting support to undertake five years of study, research, and career development in the cognitive neuroscience of dementia. During this period I will carry out the proposed research on semantic memory and visual cognition in AD while learning more about AD and other dementias. My goal is to become as competent in research on dementia as I am now in research on focal brain damage, and thereby to contribute to our basic-science understanding of the dementias and to advances in the diagnosis and management of these diseases.